Santo Pietro - Il Portico

Santo Pietro - Il Portico details

"Sip a glass or two of Chianti as you watch the sun put on its pastel evening display at this lovingly-restored hideaway, a 10-minute drive from medieval San Gimignano."

Situated high on a hilltop between Certaldo and San Gimignano, this enchanting ancient farmstead is blessed with truly sensational views in all directions - stretching as far as the Apuan Alps in the northwest, whose rugged peaks shimmer white not from snow but from Italy's purest marble. The chapel here has been converted to an apartment for the owners' use. Although the owners do not live on site, they may make occasional use of the swimming pool.

Ironically, one of the few places that cannot be seen from the property is San Gimignano - the classic landscape of this part of the Chianti region allowed another rolling hill to obscure that particular view - but as this delightful town is just 7km from Santo Pietro, you should have plenty of opportunity to admire its distinctive medieval skyscrapers close up, venturing into the walled town in the evenings after the tourist coaches have departed. In the opposite direction, charming Certaldo is equally close and offers further tempting dining-out options.

The property itself is as spellbinding as the location, and considerable amounts of money - as well as countless hours of hard work - were expended in converting it into comfortable accommodation without sacrificing its immense historic charm. A reminder of the centuries during which the views from this splendid hilltop setting have barely changed is the small chapel dating back to the early 1100s, which has been converted into an apartment for the owners to use.

Adjoining the chapel are a ground-floor apartment, Il Portico with a lounge area in the covered loggia and two bedrooms and an upper floor apartment, Bellavista with three bedrooms. Both apartments have comfy living rooms and separate kitchen/dining rooms. Bellavista has a table at ground floor level and doors in Il Portico can be opened to provide an outdoor dining experience: alternatively, guests staying at Il Portico have a table just outside the apartment.

There is also a detached, single-storey cottage, La Capannina. With its light and spacious accommodation and its wonderfully private terrace, this cottage is an irresistibly romantic retreat for a couple. Sturdy ceiling beams, open fireplaces (decorative only), cotto floors, traditional furnishings and pretty fabrics create an appealingly homely feel throughout the accommodation.

With both the great cities of Florence and Siena, and such captivating smaller towns as San Gimignano and Montespertoli within easy reach, there is much to be explored, but relaxing by the swimming pool, admiring the views and relishing the silence is an equally attractive option. And if you fancy a glass or two of Chianti to accompany the spectacular sunset views, you have certainly come to the right place.